We have decided to create this space for YOU, our future Year 7 students who will join us in September. Your first day at secondary school is not far away! We hope you find these short informational videos by teachers and the written advice from our students helpful and reassuring.
We aim for you to learn about the school you are joining, for you to feel supported and for you to enjoy watching as the exciting day approaches!
Miss Thompson Headteacher.mp4Miss S Thompson
Mr Kings Lay Chaplain.mp4Mr L Kings
Miss Hamilton Key Stage Director.mp4Ms L Hamilton
Mr O'Donovan SENDCo.mp4Mr J O'Donovan
Explaining the Timetable.m4vTour of the ground floor.mp4Tour of the first floor.mp4
BE AWESOME GO BIG BOOKLET
Dear Students and Parents,
We would like the students to work through weekly PowerPoints and complete a work booklet.
These PowerPoints are to help students on their way to secondary school and are based on the books You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed and Go Big by Matthew Burton. When they start with us in September their booklet will be collected and certificates and achievement points will be handed out.
There are some resources there as well for Parents that can be used throughout their time at secondary school. Click here for access to the booklet, slides and pamplets for parents.
Enjoy! Ms Hill
Thank you to everyone who attended the welcome event on 14/06/2023. It was great to meet you all and see the children come together in their form groups. We hope you found the evening informative and hopefully it has settled some worries for you all! The transition journey is a tricky one for everyone, but we are committed to making it as stress-free as possible! We look forward to welcoming the children to the school.
Good afternoon, my name is Ezekiel Wekpe and I am currently a sixth form student at Bishop Justus. I would say I have a good perspective on the quality of our school considering I have been a part of an Aquinas school from reception up until now. I went to Parish Primary School and can recall the transition into year seven being very smooth and easy because of the great support you get from all of the teachers.
Speaking of teachers, an upside to Bishop Justus would be the great educators that will nurture talents and encourage passions throughout your academic journey. I personally recognise many teachers as much more than simply educators, but mentors and guides.
An additional benefit to Bishop Justus is that it provides a very holistic education, offering a wide range of subjects, and even GCSE subjects that some other schools do not offer. I believe this ensures you receive a well rounded education, and I am able to speak for myself in saying it has prepared me well for the challenges of A levels. I currently study Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths at A-level and I aspire to study natural sciences at the University of Cambridge.
Finally, I would attest to the great sense of importance our school puts on a sense of individuality and fostering a good school community. Bishop Justus promotes a supportive and inclusive environment where students can feel respected. I for one know that I have valued my time at this school.
Ezekiel
Welcome to Bishop Justus!
Here at Bishop Justus we centre our focus on the 6 virtues which have already been mentioned. As part of this, we are awarded behaviour points (which are bad) and virtue points which are good! These are when you try hard and are courageous, are kind to others, are wise in your choices and learning etc. You build your points up over the term and there are prizes for individuals and the form with the most points. You have to make sure you follow our rules because they are important and allow us to concentrate on our learning. The school likes us to wear our Bishop Justus blazer with pride and be proud of our school, and we are.
We are proud of the amazing facilities in the school such as the basketball court, astros, drama and dance studios and the huge sports hall! Which you get to use in lessons and in the various clubs.
The food in the Bistro is good! You get given a lunch card and your parents/carers top up your card and you can buy food at break and lunch and there’s a Sports Café outside the PE department which you can get take away food and ice creams in the summer!
The staff here are amazing; we do fun activities as part of our learning and learn lots of new things.
You don’t need to worry about starting here; you will love it and will make lots of new friends! If you need help you can ask teachers or people in the other years. Everyone is one community and we look after each other.
Harry
Hello everyone, welcome to Bishop Justus, my name is Koralia Hoti, and I am an A-level student here in the sixth-form of Bishop Justus. I joined this school in year 11 for the first time after my family and I moved here from Greece where I was born and raised. However my origins are from Albania and therefore, English is my 3rd language which I hadn’t practice a lot before arriving here in England.
Year 11 is one of the most challenging academic years students can face during secondary school and the language barrier for me, made the journey to my GCSE exams even more difficult. Despite these difficulties, I was very lucky to have all these amazing people around me; staff and students, to provide me help and a lot of advice. With hard work and passion towards what I was doing, I made it, got my GCSE exams results and now I’m continuing my hard work towards my A-level courses and plan towards my future. This is an example that even though I have only been at Bishop Justus for two years, those 2 years have been enough to enable me to learn and feel included in the Bishop Justus community. Bishop Justus has got a large and united community where its main characteristic is the Christian Ethos followed by the 6 virtues of the school, which are faith, hope, love, kindness, courage, and wisdom. Followed from these virtues our schools’ aim is always, the equality, diversity and inclusion of all students and people working together in the school for the best development of our community!
A new beginning can always be scary and intimidating and this is the reason why our school this year has created the first Year 7 Welcoming Committee. The welcoming committee is a program created from one of our six form students, in collaboration with our lovely teacher Miss Hamilton. The aim of this program is to make our new year 7 students feel included and welcome in our school. The changing of environment and the adaption required from a primary to a secondary school is not always easy, therefore the welcoming committee has introduced teams of 2 6th form students to visit twice in a week during their afternoon form. The 6th form students, during their visit, make sure to provide any help needed; including difficulties with the school’s homework, any problems faced with the socialisation or adaption of the students and any other issues that the students would like to share with us. Welcoming committee doesn’t only provide help with difficulties, but it is also created for the students to have a relaxed time playing with their classmates after a long day of studying and learning.
Being part of the welcoming committee and providing help to every student, has been more than a pleasure to me, since I have been in their position before and I know how making new friends can be difficult or how sometimes a day may not go as we had planned. All the staff in this school, are here to take care of the wellbeing of the students and to help them succeed in their academic journey. If you would have asked me 2 years ago where I would see myself in this short period of time, I would never have thought that I would have had the opportunity to win a poetry competition, that Bishop Justus gave me the opportunity to participate in, I wouldn’t think that I would have had the opportunity to study all the subjects I am most passionate about, be part of the Medsoc society, EAL club, welcoming committee and so on.
I can 100% say that I was very lucky to be brought here and experience this journey here at Bishop Justus.
Good luck to you all!
Koralia
My choice to come to Bishop Justus was easy because my older sister was already here! However, I was still scared of getting lost in the corridors but I’m telling you, once you get settled in that’s not going to be a problem! Students and staff will always be in the corridor telling you where to go and the building is very easy to navigate.
Leading up to the start of Year 7, I found Summer School really helpful. It’s a chance to make friends and to really get a feeling of how the school’s like. So I think you should definitely try to go to summer school, it will make your first day a lot easier!
On my first day, I was very nervous about starting but once I got settled in form time I felt a more settled. For the first month or so, you will have the same lessons as your form so it is easier to move around as you do it together. Lesson 1 was scary as I had to meet my new teacher and do a new topic but it was actually good fun. Lesson 2 as easier and then we had break and there is a big bistro where you can get different snacks. After we had lesson 3 and 4 which went pretty fast. Lunch was next and I met a lot of new friends. Lastly we had lesson 5, the last lesson of the day. We went back to form afterwards and our tutor dismissed us from there. It was only us and Year 12 in which made the day easier as there weren’t many people in the school.
A couple of weeks in, we went on a trip to LKingswoord which I found very exciting. We got to do so many activities and have fun with our new friends. There are lots of clubs here at Bishop Justus. I do netball and rugby. My favourite subject is Art because I like being creative and I find it calming.
So don’t be scared about starting Year 7, there’s nothing to worry about!
Nehanda
Good evening, everyone! I am Vivian Effiom and I joined the school at the beginning of Year 12. Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude for taking the time out of your evening to come to the Event. I believe that Bishop Justus is an astounding school for many reasons as I understand that not only is Bishop Justus an institution for learning but also a place of preparation for the future and achieving “Success through Faith, Love and Learning”. This is shown through many ways as Bishop Justus has the facilities and encouragement from the teachers in order to make young people alike, strive to reach their goals. After hearing of the school’s various academic accomplishments but most importantly it’s welcoming community I was certain it was the right place for me.
The transition from primary school to secondary school is one of the most challenging decisions you will make in your life as you are exposed to a new environment, but with the help of the staff and older students this transition can be made less intimidating. For example, Koralia and I are part of the Welcoming committee which most importantly emphasises the eclectic welcoming Bishop Justus community. As a part of the committee, it has allowed us to be able to interact with younger students and make them feel included, comfortable and calm when exploring and looking into coming to the school. Bishop Justus is a place where you can learn new things, make new friends, and grow as a person. You will have the opportunity to explore your interests, discover your passions, and develop skills that will help you succeed in life. You will learn how to work hard, be responsible, and set goals for yourself. You will also learn how to be a good citizen, respect others, and contribute to your community.
Another benefit of attending Bishop Justus is the school's commitment to academic excellence. The school offers a rigorous curriculum that challenges students to think critically, solve problems, and develop a deep understanding of their subjects. This curriculum is designed to prepare students for success in college and beyond, and it is highly respected by colleges and universities around the world.
Finally, Bishop Justus is a school that values diversity and inclusivity. For instance, there is an opportunity to join the Unity society which is open to all years. In this society, we have weekly meetings with our group where we discuss how to develop and diversify the school environment. As a result of this it creates a culture of respect and understanding that is essential for success in today's global society. Additionally, the school offers a wide range of extracurricular activities and clubs. Whether you are interested in sports, music, or drama, there is something for everyone at Bishop Justus. These activities provide a great opportunity to meet new people, develop new skills, and explore new interests.
Bishop Justus is an excellent choice for students who are looking for a high-quality education, a wide range of opportunities, and a supportive and inclusive environment. So, if you are looking for a school that will help you achieve your goals and prepare you for success in life, then this school is the right choice for you.
Vivian
